I don’t like abortions. But, as a survivor of incest and having a dear family member who died of a botched abortion, I feel I have a right to speak up for the rights of women to choose which path they may take in making a horribly, agonizing decision to terminate a pregnancy. No matter what society does to prohibit abortions, women who are desperate will still make a decision that will haunt them the rest of their lives.
They do not do this without agonizing over their decision. Society taking away the sources for this procedure will be the cause of death for many women. Taking away contraception or counseling from Planned Parenthood does not make any sense in these cases.
Our family lost a wonderful, kind and loving human being, a mother of a three-year-old, a wife and daughter of a family who loved her very much. I do not pretend to know her reasons for choosing the path she took, but I do know the agony she experienced when she hemorrhaged to death and the sepsis she experienced from the dirty surroundings and instruments used to perform the deed.
But I also know the baby that was lost was lovingly accepted into the arms of our savior, as was the mother who did this, knowing she was not in her right mind at the time. Jesus said for you who are willing to cast the first stone or judge the person who does this. So you can stand there with your arms folded and your hearts and minds closed to the problem a woman faces, and judge her, pick up that stone take your best shot.
Pat Akers
Bayfield
